Retaining device



Patented Dec. 13, i927.

UNiTeD STATES l e y. .1,652,272 PATENT orifice.

JOSEPH W. DAWSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURL'ASSIGNOR TO BARRY-WEHMILLER M A- CHINERY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF'IMISSOURI.

RETAINING DEVICE.

Application `filed. January24, 1924.l Serial No. 688,345.

This invention relates generally to .retaining devices, and particularly to a retaining device which may be `arranged upon a cooperant member in a manner to act as a stop tolimit the longitudinal movement of an element. or elements mounted on said cooperant member or the longitudinal movement of said cooperant member itself. The predominant object of the' invention is to produce ya retaining device which will. be extremely simple in` construction and inexpensive to manufacture, thus v renderingqit possible to use said retaining device in places where threaded nuts and cotter pins were heretofore used, as well as on shafts to act as collars thereon. Briefly stated, my improved retaining device comprises a pair of sections, each of which is provided with elements adapted to cooperate with similar elements of anV associated section whereby said sections are united so as to form a complete unit. The cooperant memberwith which my improved retaining device is used is provided with .a depression into which a portion of the retaining device extends, thus 'preventing movement of said retaining device longitudinally of the member on which it is arranged.r My retaining device is also provided with means whereby same is prevented from rotating relative to the member on which vit is' mounted.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the inventionr comprises the novel con-- struction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprebends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope ofthe* claims hereunto appended.

Fig. I is a perspective of improved retaining device together with a portion of the member with which it is associated before the` sections of said retaining device have been assembled. f

Fig. Il is a perspective'showing'the sections of the retaining` device arranged in place on the cooperant member but before the interlocking elements on the associated sections' of the retaining device have been causedA to interlock with each other.

Fig. IH is a perspective view of my improved retaining device showing same locked in place on a cooperant member.

Fig. IV is an end elevation of the member with which lthe retaining device is associated. y A w Y Fig. V is a modified form ofmy retaining device, said ,view being a cross section through the member with which the retaining device isassociated.

Fig. VI is a side elevation showing one section of the retaining device illustrated in Fig. V, associated with a cooperant member.

In the drawings, A designates my im-V proved retaining device and B designates the cooperant member withV which said retaining device is associated. In the arrangement shownl in Figs. l to IV, inclusive, the cooper-ant member is provided with anannular groove l which is formed at the point Where the retaining deviceA is to be applied to said cooperant member, said member also being provided with a plurality of flat faces 2, the purpose` of which will be hereinafter set forth. As is illustrated in the drawing, my improved retaining device is in the form of a collar, or washer, said collaror washer being composedvof two or more separable sections. rThe sectionsof the retaining device -are yidentical in yevery respect so that they may be used interchangeably, it being unnecessary touse anyparticular section in any particular position in the retaining device. The Asectionsof the retaining device are each preferably produced in the form of an approximate half-circle, andthe inner 'Y 90 openings of said sections are of the 'same diametery as the diameter of thelcoop'erant member B at the base ofthe groove 1.

Located on each section vof the retaining device is a tongue '3, said tonguebeing offset from the main` body ofthe section and approximately L"-shaped in side elevation. Formed in each section of the retaining device at theV opposite end from the endl at which the tongue 3 is located is a recessfl, said recess being approximately the same `shape as the tongue 3.

In Vlocating one of my improved retaining devices on a cooperant member, vone. of the sections will be arranged kon said cooperant member so that the inner portion of said section extends into the annular groove l formed in said member, in vwhich position the inner edge of the section Will bear firmly against the bottom wall of said groove l. The other section is then arranged on the cooperant member so that its inner portion also extendsV into the annular groove l in said member. Vhen the sections of the retaining device are in the positions described, the abutting faces 5 and 6 on said sections will be in Contact with each other (Fig. II). The tongues 3, as already stated, are offset and therefore'these tongues will not interfere with the sections being fitted together as described. After the sections have been assembled as set forth above, and as illustrated in Fig. Il, the offset tongues 3 are hammered or otherwise forced to positions where they extend into the recesses 4 and because said tongues and said recesses are L-shaped, said tongues will interlock lwith the walls of said recesses whereby said sections are securely fixed together (Fig. IH). As stated, the groove l is annular and consequently if some means were not provided to prevent it the retaiining device might be rotated on the cooperant member. As already stated, that cooperant member illust-rated in Figs. l, H. .Hl and iV is provided w-ith a plurality of fiat faces Each of the sections of the retaining devices is provided with a raised portion 7, said raised portions being formed by pressing portions of the middle of said sections outwardly from the body of the sections. it will be noted by referring to Fig. iV that the flat faces '2 are tangential to the bottom wall of the annular groove l. in other words, the middle portions of said fia-t faces are flush with the bottom wall of said groove (Fig. IV). When he sections of the retaining device are assembled, as already de scribed andas illustrated in Fig. IH, the outwardly pressed portions-7 of lsaid sections overlapthe flat faces Q of the cooperant member B in such manner that the flat inner faces of'said portions 7 will bear firmly against said flat faces 2, whereby the rotation of the retaining member relative to the cooperant member B is prevented.

Figs. V and VI illustrate a modified form of my invention. In this form of the device the member B" is not provided with an annular groove but is provided with a.

pair of 'straight grooves i which are arranged diametrically opposite to each other. The sections of the retaining device A are each provided with flat portions 8 and .9. In assembling the device illustrated in the views mentioned, the sect-ions of vsaid device are .arranged so that the flat portions 8 and 9, extend .into the grooves l', said flat portions bearing firmly against the flat base of said grooves l. After vthe sections of the retaining device are arranged as stated, the tongues 3 thereof will be forced into the recesses Il as already described in connection with the preferred form of the invention. By this arrangement it is appa-rent thatthe retaining device is prevented from rotating relative to the member B due to the cooperating flat faces on the sections of the retaining device and member B.

lNhile I have illustrated and described a retaining device having tongues which are hammered or otherwise forced into the recesses, it is apparent that the sections of my retaining device may "be formed vof spring material having sufficient resiliency to permit of the tongues being snapped into place in said recesses.

I claim:

l; A retaining device adapted for' use on armember having Aan annular groove, cornpi'ising .cooperating sections, said sections being provided with interlocking elements whereby said sections are united to form a complete unit, a portion of which extends into said annular groove, said member on which said retaining device is mounted being provided with a flat face and means comprising .a raised portion on said retaining device rcontacting with said fiat face on said member whereby said retaining device is prevented vfrom rotating on said member.

2. A retaining device adapted for use on a member having an annular groove, 'comprising cooperatingsections, said sections being each provided with an offset tongue and a recess, said offset tongue'of each section being adapted to be forced into arecess of an associated section whereby said sections are united to form a complete unit, a portion of which extends into siiid annular groove, said member on which said retaining device is mounted being provided with fiat faces, and means .comprising raised portions on said retaining device contacting with said flat faces on said member whereby said retaining device is prevented from rotating on said member.

3. In a retaining device for `use on a member having a peripheral groove and an abutment face,` a pair of sections provided with interlocking elements comprising an odset flexible tongue on one section adapted .to Vbe ben-t to unite and .disconnect :the sections, said sections being adapted to extend into said peripheral groove and kprovided with offset portions adapted to Contact with said abutment face to prevent rotation of the sections on said member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signature.

,iosnrn w. Dawson. 

